Fun Tennis Facts
Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam tournament, is currently in full swing in London. The first week of competition is now a thing of the past and we would like to share with you some interesting and surprising facts about this tournament rich in traditions.
- On the first Sunday, you’ll rest
You open your TV today and you notice with surprise that there is no tennis match that is broadcast! This is normal, since the tradition in Wimbledon is that the first Sunday of the tournament is a day of rest for everyone. No matches are therefore scheduled. However, this tradition is not always respected. If the rain has disrupted the schedule on previous days, the tournament organizers have no choice but to resume the games on Sunday. This has happened 4 times in history so far: in 1991, 1997, 2004 and 2016.
- All dressed in white, you will be
Forget The Flash and original colors. At Wimbledon, we have to dress in white! Indeed, the rules of the tournament provide for a very strict dress code that players must absolutely respect. Referees may even ask them to change if they feel they are in violation of the dress code. This was the case in 2013 when Roger Federer was reprimanded for the orange sole of his shoes. Interestingly, these rules were not in force at the London 2012 Olympic Games (the tennis tournament at the All England Club).
- The grass is greener at the neighbor’s
Wimbledon is the Mecca of grass tennis and we take good care of this greenery ! The grass is maintained year-round at the All England Club. In addition, during the tournament, it is cut to a height of 8 millimeters. This surface is faster than the Earth beats and creates lower bounces. Generally, players who are highly offensive and have a large service are at an advantage. Moreover, exchanges are rarely very long on grass.
- 140 years and all his teeth
Did you know that Wimbledon was first published in 1877 ? Needless to say, this makes it the oldest tennis tournament in the world. At the time, only the men’s singles event was presented. It was not until 1884 that the women’s singles and the men’s doubles made their appearances at the All England Club. The mixed doubles and women’s doubles were added in 1913.
- Without a tie, it can drag on forever
At Wimbledon, if a match goes to the limit (third set for women and fifth set for men), there is no tie break to decide between the players. This means that if the score is 6-6 in the set ultimate, players continue the game until one wins by a difference of 2 points. The same goes for Roland-Garros and the Australian internationals. The U.S. Open works differently since a tie break is provided in the final set to decide between the two players.This rule sometimes leads to marathons and it was in Wimbledon, in 2010, that the longest game in history took place. The American John Isner and the French Nicholas Mahut then played for more than 11 hours ! The fifth and final set ended 70-68 in favour of Isner and the game lasted 3 days!